'The Golden Are Here No More'

[Note from author:  This is work in progress - I will continue to edit this poem in future]

'The Golden Are Here No More'

The stars in the ships are flown...

they row no more and the songs are gone;

our feet are on the grass,

now just me and you and the sun

so let's run - 

and dance in the light as one.

The jewels in thy coat led us here,

in your light we did steer,

and on the shores if we did stumble, 

or ever we forgot to remain humble,

it was your hand that picked us up.

And we saw the glass crystallised in the fields so vast,

with each sunrise the deeper our wonder grew.

We could never have imagined that we would have been the last,

to see the clouds, draw over you.

Steer closer old memory...

I remember you, 

when you first saw the view.

the gold of it was in your eyes!

In your eyes was the amber hue - 

glowing atween the skies of blue,

I will always remember the joy of it in your eyes.

the joy your face wore, 

was the one thing I lived for,

the music you played in the morn,

made me realise why I was born,

you brought life to the fields.

your fancies and your whims,

the light in your limbs,

I cannot believe we were once so young

and joined as one

but now there is no sound in the fields.

And so your eyes are gone

and in them also the light in the fields which once shone.

The golden view has lost its fields of hay,

melted by those who have lost their way...

There is no one left to see me,

And nobody left to hear me,

But I can still remember the old view,

As I sing these words for you:

Crystallised in water on the arms of the yews,

grown from the dews where the golden meadows fare...    

I remember you reflected in the crystallised dews,

in my memory of the golden meadows fair.

Here I stand - The last one to care...

But I will always remember you,

Watching the sun go down,

standing in the golden meadows fair.

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Jim's Subway 22: It's up to you now Jim...

Sometimes you have to be strong, even when you are weak...

  It is the only way...

  I don't know what I am going to say...  But I am definitely going to do something...

  I have to, for my sanity if nothing else...

  I cannot work with or for a murderer...

  DC Peddler needs the slightest excuse to arrest me, and I won't give it to him by collaborating with a homicidal maniac!

  

Jim slowly made his way back to the The Ritz.

  He would have liked to have stopped for a drink, to stiffen the old nerve ends, but he didn't have any money and didn't feel like begging, so once he was through the door he walked right up to the lab.

  Ivan was inside.  

  He was standing inspecting a silver canister.  

  This was something new.  It must have been placed there earlier that day while Jim was away.

  The canister stood almost about the height of a man.

  Looked about the right size to put a man inside...

  Jim was scarred.

  What was Ivan planning?

  Why was the thing in the lab at all.

  He had a feeling Ivan was about to explain everything, so he didn't say anything.  He just closed the door and stood in the middle of the room and waited for the other man to talk.

  It as all he could do.

  Ivan didn't look at Jim:

  'This container is full of G-Juice,' he said.  

  'Well that is a lot of G-Juice,' Jim replied.  'I could do with a drink now you mention it.'

  'No drinking for you,' Ivan replied, coldly.  'The contents of this barrel were not prepared for the pleasures of your gullet, Mr Jim.  No.  I am going to poison the city.  And I want you to help me do it.'

  It took several good long seconds for Jim to process what the other man had just said.  

  And even after those long seconds had disappeared he still didn't understand the meaning behind the words, poison and city.

  What was the madman getting at?  Did he have serious intentions on poisoning the city?

  No...  It couldn't be?  No one would be insane enough to try something so horrible?

  Not even ivan was capable of something so dreadful!

  'That is exactly my plan,' Ivan responded like he had just read Jim's mind.  'We are going to pour this barrel into the canal - the canal connects to the water infiltration system that is in turn connected to every pipe in the city, it is one of those design flaws the architects of Fenwick overlooked when they were building the place.  Flaw that it is it will aid my plans, for on the morrow when the folks of Fenwick turn on their taps every soul in the city will become hopelessly drunk.  So we are going to poison the canal...  Did I say we?  Sorry.  I meant you - yes indeed - because you are going to do the deed.  In lieu of services.'

  'Please.  Being a drunk renders one's memory somewhat wobbly,' Jim replied, 'But,' he continued, 'what services am I paying for exactly?'

  'I killed your worst enemy,' Ivan returned.  'I removed him from your life indefinitely.  The Jon is gone.  How nice for you.  And now you are going to pay me back.'

  'Why can't we do it together?'

  'I can't risk getting caught.'

  'Nice!' Jim responded.  'So you are fine with me going to prison, hey?  How very kind of you!  To think the other day I was finally starting to get somewhere with DC Peddler, and now you are intent on spoiling our new happy relationship.  Your a piece of work for sure, Ivan.'

  'I don't care, ivan responded.  'I just need you to do the deed.'

  JIm heard this and shook his head in disbelief.  He couldn't believe the madness of the situation he was stuck in.  He calmed, swallowed, took and breath and said, 'Has this been your plan all along?  It has, hasn't it?  You have been planning this for a long time.  I can see it in your eyes.  Damn you!  Jo and I were guinea pigs weren't we?  It makes sense, sort of.  You were running and experiment.  You wanted to try see what the effects of G-Juice in unwitting fools and Jo and I fit the bill just fine!  And once you knew that your drink worked you reeled us in.  Once we had become hopelessly addicted we became your playthings.  All in preparation for this.'

  Ivan didn't deny anything.  Actually Ivan admitted that Jim had successfully worked out his entire plan!

  'There is another reason why you are going to want to poison the canal,' Ivan continued.  'You are poisoned.  Your body is currently in the process of withdrawing.  In two days, maybe less than that, you will experience a massive seizure that will most definitely be very uncomfortable, and will very like kill you.  But don't worry yourself, Jim.  I have a very special bottle hiding somewhere.  It's a special reserve, probably the best G-Juice you will likely ever taste.  It's yours after you have completed the task I have given you.  Once the job is done the bottle will be yours.  Until then, you are living on borrowed time.  So I suggest less chat and more work.  What say you, Jim?'

  'Why? are you doing this?'

  'Because I have the power to do it,' Ivan replied.

  Jim couldn't believe it...

  The man had no motive, no goal...  He was just being a piece of scum for the mere sake of it!

  Unbelievable!

  'You are a proven homicidal maniac, and I am scared of you Ivan.  If that was your intent, to terrify me, then congratulations you have won this round!  But even though I am scared, I am not stupid!  I won't do this.  If the withdrawal symptoms kill me then so be it.  Yes, you heard it here from my own mouth - I would rather die than poison an entire city.  So threaten me all you like but I won't have any part in this madness.'

  'Listen to you!  Speaking like some kind of priest.  You are a fool and I curse you!  Seriously.  Let me ask you this: what do you actually owe this city?  How many friends have you made since your arrival?  None.  But plenty of enemies.  DC Peddler wants you locked up for life.  And he will get his way given time.'

  'then I won't give him time,' Jim responded.  'Look, Ivan, I am not interested.  When I came to Fenwick all I wanted to do was escape my job and get drunk.  That's always been the plan for me.  I just want to get drunk.  Ecoterrorism has never been one of my life aspirations.  I might come across as a bit crazy, but I do have a conscience, and if I was responsible for poisoning hundreds of innocent people I know I would not be able to live with myself.  So you can count me out of your schemes, Ivan.  I am done with this.  All I have ever wanted was to enjoy myself and this is not enjoyment right now.  That is why I am leaving.  I am going back home...'

  'You will never leave Fenwick whole,' Ivan replied.  'I will find a way of setting you up.  I will give DC Peddler the keys to your cell!'

  'You have got nothing on me, Ivan!  You threats are as worthless as a stunted wombat.  Now get out of my way.'

  Ivan was not going to let Jim go without a fight:

  'When you got drunk last night you broke into a house and attacked the owner,' he pressed.  'You don't remember, you were that wasted.  But the camera that recorded you remembers.  O yes!  It's got the whole scene painted fully in its memory.  I will hand the camera over to DC Peddler, and then it will be. over for you!  Burglry and assault will fetch you ten years in Fenwick.  Fancy spending ten years rotting in a cell.  Do you have any idea what life is like in prison?  A small man like you won't last nine days.  Once the prison boys figure you out they will serve you up on a platter.  Do you fancy being served on a platter?  I will hand this fate to you freely if you deny me!'  

  Jim had to admit Ivan had him over a barrel, if the story of the video footages was indeed true, and Ivan could have easily been making it all up but he didn't want to take the risk.

  'Fine.  I will do it.  I will take the silver barrel and start right away.'

  'I knew you would see sense,' Ivan returned.  'Turn it on its side and it will roll quite well.'

  Jim was shaking his head as he started to roll the damn silver barrel down the steps of the hotel.

  As Jim headed out onto the streets Ivan called him:

  'The lid at the top will screw off!  Then just pour away!  Return when the deed is done and I will fetch your reward for you!'

  Jim was still shaking his head as he rolled the barrel across the street.

  Then he turned around and made his way for the subway...

  Before he had finally agreed to do the job Jim already had a plan cooking!

  It was rolling around in his head right then as he rolled the casket of doom along the gloom of the proceeding street:

  I will dump the damn thing by the station and make a run for it...

  Jim thought it was a good plan.  

  Actually it was the only thing he could do!

  Soon this nightmare will be over and I will be home again, safe and sound!  I will be stretching on my sofa with a glass of a real drink - whiskey, something like that!  How fine that will be!

  I just hope Ivan isn't following me...

(Remember!  All spelling errors and grammatical mistakes are intentional - the author 😆)

Previous part here

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Jim's Subway 21: The last Toddy for the evening

That man is a wretch.  And he is scum...

  This is what Jim was thinking as he walked away from the street where Ivan had just collard him.

  Jim was still a little shaken by the unpleasant encounter.

  He thought he needed a stiff drink to steady his nerves, but he figured he was too angry to drink.

  That's right  You heard it heard first.  Jim was too busy being angry at Ivan that he coukldn't even find the energy to drink!

  What a revelation indeed.

  Eventually the voice in his mind started to rage something along the lines of this:

  I don't hate Ivan as much as I ever hated Jon, not by a long stretch, I am glad that man is dead, but I would rather share a drink with DC Peddler than that weird stuffy white-coat wearing maniac.  Who does he think he is, going around like his Boris Karloff playing the mad scientist role in some dusty antiquated horror movie.  He's a caricature!  He lives in fantasyland!  He was a curiosity before, but now I find myself not liking him very much.  Grabbing me in the streets and throwing threats in my face!  I am not his slave nor will I ever be!  Damn the man!  But I have to be careful of him...  We know what he is now...   We know what he is really capable of.  These are dark times indeed.

  And then he thought:

  What have I done?  What have I gotten myself into?  

  And all for the love of the taste and the feel of the G-Juice.  Nothing like the feel of the G-Juice living in ones veins!

  Is it worth it?

  O Yes it is!

  Jim thought.

  Just at that moment Toddy stepped up out of the shadows of the Subway.  'I thought I would pop in to say goodbye,' he said.

  'How nice of you,' Jim replied.  'Goodbye it is then.  It was nice meeting you, once.  O, and thank you for saving my life back then...  Without that whiskey I surely would have had a seizure and died.'

  'Yes indeed,' said Toddy. 'Now listen up, I have a word or three for you.  Rod's a fine man, he might be a useful companion to you in the future.  He's also rich.  It's very important to have rich friends here in Fenwick, for better or worse - you will find that out one day.  And if you have to drink G-Juice, which I know you will, again, and again, and again, do it slow - take it in, inch by inch.  Appreciate it, saviour it - don't get drunk on it, not at least in the first five minutes.  Give yourself a chance to get drunk.  You will find things go better for you if you take these cautious measures.'

  'Thank you for the advice,' said Jim.  'Yes I remember Rod.  I will pay him a visit sometime.'

  'Good man,' Toddy replied.  'You won't regret it.  So is there anything else you would like to talk about?'

  'Not really.  O I guess I don't mind sharing with you how much I really hate Ivan.  Yes, I really hate that man.  He killed Jon.  DC Peddler thinks I am the murderer, but I need to convince him otherwise.'

  'That's going to be hard,' said Toddy.  'Peddler is not an easy man to convince about anything.  I mean his own mother couldn't convince him that he could tie up his own shoes and he pays people to do it for him this day.  Now listen up.  Peddler is not a nice guy, I know, but Ivan is worse, and definitely far more dangerous.  Take my advice, I know Fenwick and its folk, and you should keep Peddler on your side.  You do hat by keeping him sweet.'

  'And how do I do that?'

  'Dig around for dirt on Ivan.  I bet with enough effort you can grab a fistful of the stuff!  And when you have a good amount of that super filthy dirt in your hand spread it all over Mr Peddlers face.  Spread it fast and furious, let him take it in, let him smell it, stuff it right up his ugly nostrils so that he cannot ever avoid the smell!  When the smell is finally bad enough our man will take action, and reel your other man in.  And that will be the end of it.'

  Jim thought about it for a few seconds, but then a huge lump of doubt knocked on his head like an acorn falling from a tree.  'NO Ivan will mean no G-Juice...  And we can't have that.'

  And as if he had heard his voice Toddy pipped up in answer:

  'Then steal the recipe,' he said.  

  He spoke quite casually about it.

  Jim didn't know how to respond so he just stood there where he was and looked and confused and useless.  (Yes, he was all those things right then).

  'Don't look so dumb, Jim,' Toddy continued.  'You are indeed a fool as most people are, but I know inside my gut that you are not a COMPLETE fool.  There is some energy in you, I can feel it, I can also see it in your actions.  I mean you have survived as a complete stranger in Fenwick this long, you have got to have something about you to pull that off.'

  'So stand up and be proud of yourself, Jim.  'The city of Fenwick is yours for the taking!  You can grab it, and milk it for all it is worth.  You can wake it up, shake it about and shake every penny out of it.  But you have to want to do it!  And I think you do, Jim.  That's why you took the train here.  You wanted to escape your dead end job and find your fortune.  And here you are.  And your fortune is there but you need to fight just a little bit to get it.  And G-Juice is the key.  You like it.  Other people will like it also.  You can sell it to them, Jim.  Wake up, idiot, and be that thing you know you can be in your mind.'

  'But... I can't steal... '

  'Yes you can,' Toddy pressed on.  'Are you a nice person Jim?  Is anyone out there in the streets of Fenwick really a nice person?  I think we both know the answer to that one, eh?  So wake up, lad, and do your business like everyone else.  Yes?  Do you hear me?  Good!  Now before I slink back forever into the swamps of the Subway remember, it's you vs everyone else - forever!  Do what must be done...'

  Jim listened to these in stone silence, and when he decided it was time to reply he turned round and found that Toddy was gone.  

  Gone forever!

  But Jim knew now what he had to do...

  VERY WELL -

  Said the voice in his head:

  I SHALL LEARN TO STEAL...

  (Remember!  All spelling errors and grammatical mistakes are intentional - the author 😆)

Previous part here

===========================================================

Also take a look at:
My Games
Play Give 'em Hell
Play Elfin Quest
Witches Brew a short text based adventure game!
Also take a look at:
My YouTube Channel
My Books

THE LEGEND OF RUDWIN REVIEW